ACE | Preparing for College Courses

Preparing for College

The following list of courses provide only a general guideline of courses. School graduation and college entrance requirements vary by institution. Students and parents should consult their school guidance counselor and college admissions office for a more complete list.

Courses students should take in middle or junior high school to prepare for college

Math	Every year, including algebra I in the 8th grade and geometry in the 9th grade. Algebra and Geometry are the foundation for all college math and science courses.
English Science History or Geography	Every year. Along with math, these subjects form the core of academic preparation for college.
Foreign Language Computer Science The Arts	Most colleges expect students to have taken some classes in art and foreign language and all colleges expect that they will know how to use a computer. Students should take advantage of every opportunity to learn about these subjects.

Courses students should take in high school to prepare for college

Subject	Minimum Years	Types of Classes
English	four	Composition American Literature	English Literature World Literature
Mathematics	three to four	Algebra I (if not completed in 8th grade) Geometry Algebra II	Trigonometry Pre-calculus Calculus
History and Geography	two to three	Geography U.S. History U.S. Government	World History World Cultures Civics
Laboratory Science	two to three	Biology Earth Science	Chemistry Physics
Foreign Language	two to three	French Spanish German	Latin Russian Japanese
Visual and Performing Arts	one	Art Drama	Dance Music
Electives	one to three	Economics Psychology Statistics	Computer Science Communications